Camera settings

How to Set Up Your Action Camera for Vertical Videos

Want your GoPro, DJI, or Insta360 footage to look like the pros? Start with these camera settings.

Every action camera comes with default settings designed to make filming as easy as possible. They’re great for capturing a basic video, but that’s exactly why your footage might look basic.

If you want your riding clips to look like the pros, you’ll need to make a few changes.

In this guide, we’re going over the camera settings, mounting positions, and filming tips that can take your vertical videos to the next level.

These settings work across most major action camera brands, including GoPro, DJI, and Insta360. Some settings and names may vary depending on your camera, but the overall principles are the same.

Step 1 Mount your camera vertically

If you’re filming for Instagram Reels, TikTok, or YouTube Shorts, the first thing you need to do is mount your camera vertically.

These platforms use a 9:16 video format, which means your footage needs to be taller than it is wide.

Using a vertical camera mount lets you capture footage in the correct orientation without having to crop a horizontal video later.

Vertical camera mounts are available online for most popular action cameras.

Step 2 Find the best camera position

Camera placement makes a huge difference in how your footage looks.

For POV riding videos, there are three mounting positions we recommend.

1 Chin mount full-face helmet

Mounting your camera on the chin of your full-face helmet gives you a natural first-person perspective. It’s one of the best positions for capturing the trail, your handlebars, and the action directly in front of you.

2 Under the visor full-face helmet

Mounting your camera underneath your helmet’s visor is another great option. This position keeps the camera close to your eye level and can create a clean, immersive POV angle.

3 Chest mount half-shell helmet

If you’re riding with a half-shell helmet, a chest mount is a great alternative. This lower perspective captures your handlebars, arms, and the terrain ahead, giving viewers a real sense of what it’s like to ride.

Whichever position you choose, make sure the camera is securely mounted and doesn’t interfere with your helmet’s safety features.

Step 3 Change your camera settings

Now that your camera is mounted correctly, it’s time to adjust the settings.

Most cameras have an advanced or professional settings menu. Open that menu so you can make the following changes.

1 Switch to manual or pro settings

Your camera’s automatic mode is designed to make decisions for you.

Switch into Pro or Manual settings to take more control over how your footage looks.

We’ll still leave a few settings on Auto where it makes sense.

2 Change your color profile to Log

Find your camera’s color profile setting and select a Log recording mode if your camera supports one.

Depending on your camera, this might be called D-Log M, I-Log, or another flat color profile.

Important: Your footage might look a little gray or washed out when you record in Log. That’s completely normal!

Log footage is designed to give you more flexibility when editing and adjusting colors later.

3 Set your resolution to 4K

Set your video resolution to 4K.

This gives you a high-quality image with plenty of detail for editing and uploading to social media.

4 Set your frame rate to 24 FPS

For now, set your frame rate to 24 frames per second (FPS).

This is a great starting point for creating a more cinematic look.

If you want to capture slow-motion clips, increase your frame rate to 120 FPS or higher, if your camera supports it.

5 Adjust your shutter speed

For 24 FPS footage, start with a shutter speed as close to 1/48 as your camera allows. Some cameras will offer 1/50 instead.

A good rule of thumb is to use a shutter speed with a denominator approximately double your frame rate.

For example:

24 FPS → 1/48 or 1/50

120 FPS → 1/240 or 1/250

240 FPS → 1/480 or 1/500

If you increase your frame rate for slow-motion footage, adjust your shutter speed accordingly.

Keep an eye on your camera’s preview to make sure your footage isn’t too bright or overexposed. In bright conditions, you may need an ND filter to maintain these shutter speeds. If you’re unable to use an ND filter, you can increase your shutter speed to make the image darker and prevent overexposure.

For rough POV footage, faster shutter speeds can also help electronic stabilization perform better.

6 Adjust your white balance

Next, find your white balance settings.

If your camera allows you to keep white balance on Auto, that’s completely fine.

If you’re comfortable adjusting it manually, start at 5500K for daylight filming.

From there, watch your camera’s preview and make adjustments until the colors look natural.

Higher Kelvin values make the image warmer, while lower values make it cooler. Adjust based on the color of the light, not simply how bright or dark it is.

7 Set your bitrate to high

Find your camera’s bitrate setting and select the highest available option.

A higher bitrate allows your camera to record more video information, which can help preserve detail when editing your footage.

Just remember that higher bitrates also create larger video files.

8 Use the widest field of view

Next, set your field of view (FOV) to the widest setting available.

For POV riding videos, a wide field of view helps capture more of your surroundings, making the footage feel faster and more immersive.

It also helps keep your handlebars, the trail, and the action in the frame.

9 Turn on stabilization

Finally, make sure your camera’s stabilization is turned ON.

Start with a medium or standard stabilization setting if your camera offers one.

This helps smooth out unwanted camera shake without cropping too much of your image.

If your footage still looks too shaky, try increasing stabilization and compare the results.

Step 4 Take a few test runs

Before you head out for a full day of riding, take a few short test clips.

Watch the footage back and make sure your camera angle is capturing everything you want.

Can you see the trail? Are your handlebars in the right position? Is the camera pointed too far up or down?

Small adjustments to your camera angle can make a huge difference.

Once you’re happy with the results, save these settings as a custom preset so you can quickly access them every time you ride.

Quick-reference camera settings

You record it Well edit it

Now that your camera is dialed in, it’s time to put those settings to use. Capture your footage, send it to EDITIT, and we’ll handle the editing.

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